Volume 1: Ana Devon has a big secret, she is pregnant against her husband's wishes. On the day Ana finds out she is carrying her husbands heir he presents her with divorce papers. Ana's pride won't allow her to take anything from the man that is casting her aside after she nursed him back to health. Alone and determined to survive Ana flees for the city but as darkness descends and rain pours down she faces the prospect of sleeping in the woods until morning. When a car pulls up beside her and a man steps out shielding her with his umbrella Ana knows better than to accept the ride from this handsome stranger but her options are bleak. Against her better judgement she agrees to a ride. Can Ana trust the stranger and what is his connection to her husband? Are any of these people who they say are? Could it really be a decades old coincidence or is destiny haunting Ana and what does royalty have to do with any of it? ***My cover reflects the volume currently being uploaded. The covers shows Scott and Ana. Volume 2: With a health crisis looming and the princes at odds, can this strange family find a way to persevere? How can Ana be the lost queen of the pirate nation of Althinia? Wait, pirates? That's ancient history, right? AUTHOR NOTE: The first forty chapters are written in various points of view but often from a male perspective. This is story is a primarily female voiced story. After chapter 44 the split is about 90/10 female to male. The story arc demanded that the male characters are well fleshed out because most of the rest of the story is about the lead female and her story arc. I hope that helps to answer some questions.
Ana lost interest in the market after that, and Scott headed them back to where the car would pick them up. As expected, the paparazzi were waiting at the exit. Scott decided to skip making any statements and forced himself to be content with the fact that Ana smiled, and they posed for a couple of photos before climbing into the car.
Scott waved before he climbed into the car which let them know that he would give a statement to select sources sometime later. He would type up a quick confirmation email and send it out to his preferred sources. It would filter to the magazines and before tomorrow's news cycle they would have a juicy bit of gossip.
Scott hadn't decided whether he should reveal his heir or save that talk for another day. Scott understood that Nicholas knew that public belief of who Ana belonged to was important too.
Scott threw his arm over the back of Ana's seat and slid next to her. "Are you mad at me?"
Ana huffed. "Why would I be mad at you. What you do doesn't matter to me."
That stung a lot. She was definitely mad at him "Please don't be mad. I swear I will get rid of that guy as soon as I can. We have had such a wonderful day. I don't want it to be ruined by that creep. Baby, I ate elephant for you." Scott cried dramatically.
Ana snorted trying not to laugh. "You're ridiculous Scott."
"If it will make you smile then I am happy to be seen as ridiculous." Scott said seriously before letting his arm come around her and tucking her small frame into his side. Ana looked at him and rolled her eyes but didn't move.
When they got back to the estate Scott told Ana he had some work to take care of and handed her the bag with the baby items from the market. Ana went upstairs to the master bedroom and dropped off her purse, grabbing her phone, and put the bag with the baby stuff on a shelf. She sat down on the bed and opened the phone.
Ana had one text from Nicholas. 'How was the market?' Ana sighed because this was hard. She was trying to keep to both men happy without doing anything to upset either one.
Ana sent a quick text back. 'It was good. I got a couple of things for the baby.'
She hoped that nothing she said would be taken as too complicit with Scott.
A text came back from Nick, 'what kind of things?'
Ana typed back an answer 'Baby booties and a crocheted blanket.'
Ana set her phone on the bed beside her and laid down to rest. She felt like she had just drifted off when she felt Scott sit down beside her on the bed. Looking at the clock on her phone she realized she had slept at least forty-five minutes.
Scott brushed her hair from her face. "I'm sorry to wake you but it's only an hour until dinner and I have something to show you. Will you come with me?"
Ana nodded, "sure."
She got up with some difficulty. Her back was a little sore. Once she was standing, she tried to rub the spot but could quite reach. Scott stepped behind her and began rubbing the soreness out of her muscles. After a minute Ana sighed happily.
Scott's hand stopped resting on her lower back. "Is that better?"
"Yes, thank you for that." Ana said, picking up her phone and putting it in her sweater pocket.
"Anytime." Scott took her hand and led her through the house.
After a few minutes they came to the room they had ended up in yesterday, but the door was closed.
Scott turned to Ana, "Yesterday I hoped to find a space that we might have for our own. Where we could take our meals and relax in our downtime. Where you could read, and I could do light work without having to be so separated all the time. I put together this space for us to accomplish those tasks. I hope you like it."
Scott opened the door and stepped back allowing Ana to enter. She stepped through the door and stopped in shock. This couldn't be the same room as yesterday, but it was. Directly to the right where the sunroom windows faced the estate grounds were two large cream-colored overstuffed chairs with ottomans and a small table in between them. In the corner was a coffee and tea table so that it would be convenient to make drinks.
In the center of the room was a round four-person dining table and chairs set for meal service. There was a side bar against the wall for the same purpose. One corner of the large room had four large bookshelves installed and filled with books. In front of the bookshelf was a large l-shaped overstuffed sofa that matched the chairs and a square coffee table. There were throw pillows in a warm shade of brown and a stack of blankets on the coffee table.
In the other corner was a medium-sized desk with a cabinet for files and a comfortable leather desk chair. There were corner shelves behind the desk. Multiple plants had been placed around the room. Both large floor plants and small tabletop varieties. Then Ana realized that past the desk was a set of doors to the veranda. She walked over and opened the double doors and stepped outside. The outside had been furnished as well with comfortable seating and a table and chairs. Ana walked back to where Scott stood just inside the double doors looking worried.
Ana closed the doors and hugged Scott tightly. "This is so perfect, thank you for doing all of this." She pulled back to look at him smiling.
Scott looked at his wife's happy face and he couldn't stop himself. He slid his hands to her neck and jaw leaning down quickly he captured her lips before she could pull away. He moved his mouth with firm pressure neither pressuring her too much nor behaving tentatively. Scott wanted her to understand that he would not force her, but he wanted to kiss her. Ana was so rigid he nearly pulled away but just before he was going to, she opened her mouth kissing him back.
Scott slanted his mouth across hers and ran his tongue along her bottom lip causing hers to dart out against his. He let his instincts take over, deepening the kiss. Turns out, according to the internet, kissing is mostly trial and error.
Scott caressed Ana's cheek with his thumb while his other hand wound in her hair. Scott tried to keep his head as hot need slammed into him and their kiss sent desire raging through his entire body. He knew he had to stop this at a kiss only, but each second had him thinking increasingly of laying her on the sofa and burying himself inside her.
With that thought Scott broke the kiss. He was losing control and that would ruin everything. He placed soft kisses on Ana's lips, her jaw, and finally her temple. Scott lifted her left hand and kissed right above her rings before releasing her. He could see by the storm in Ana's eyes that he had made the right decision in not pushing too hard. She would need to come to him a little at a time or she would bolt, and he wouldn't get another chance.